Marking Parts

[Heckdogg]

we are exploring options to mark our parts with their respective part numbers. I was just curious as to what others are using?

CSWP
SolidWorks 2007 SP5.0/2008 SP0.0
2xDual-Core AMD OPTERON 280 / 8GB Ram
Quadro FX3450
3DConnexion SpaceNavigator

 

[MikeHalloran]

We make sheet metal parts.
We just got a new CNC punch that is incredibly fast.
One of the tools is a marking punch, that leaves a deep mark like a prick punch would... which would be of no interest except that it does so very quickly, so the machine can be programmed to move rapidly between hits, generating characters, logos, whatever you like, at impressive speed.

Only downside is that it leaves a high raised rim around the actual mark. The rims offset on adjacent stacked blanks. We may go back to tags and Sharpies.

The other thing we do is nibble single numerals through each part of a set, to act as match marks for orientation and distinguish similar parts from each other.






Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[CoryPad]

Videojet:

http://www.videojet.com

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[dbaird]

Our customers (Automotive Manufacture) use pin stamp technologies:

http://www.telesis.com/index.shtml

http://www.technifor.com/

David Baird

Sr Controls Designer
EET degree.
Journeyman Electrician.

 

[tygerdawg]

I've successfully used pin-stamp & laser marking. Both require sufficient production volume for justification.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Advanced Robotics & Automation Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[KENAT]

Vibro-etch/Dot Peen was becoming popular at my last place in UK.

I think this is the same thing Mike an others talk about.

It does have problems, for instance it doesn't always look that good and creates the raised area like Mike says.

However, if you can put it on a surface that doesn't have any cosmetic/aesthetic requirement it's pretty cool.

You can get it both manual and automated as I understand it.

At my place in the UK cost was a major attraction. I think we had a manual or maybe semi auto system that was relatively cheap. It meant we could mark stuff in-house that otherwise would have been manually stamped in house or sent out for engraving or similar.

It never looked real good but I suspect fully automatic would do a lot better.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[MikeHalloran]

It was nice to know all about his/her computer, I guess, but we never did find out if Heckdogg's parts are made of metal, or plastic, or rubber, or paper, or glass.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[KENAT]

Darn good point Mike.

Most of the suggestions will work great for common metal (especially machined) parts but for other materials?

Also what kind of environment do your parts see?

Maybe ink marking or similar is plenty good enough.

For anything cast, molded or forged look at having it put in the mold.

More info please!

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[Dtuck]

It does depends on the material and how permanent and/or aesthetically appealing the marking has to be. Traceability information usually has to be permanent. It doesn't have to be a pain just because it is required.

D.Tuck

http://www.mfgsols.com

 

[Heckdogg]

Sorry, most of my post here are in the SolidWorks forum, just easier to list the specs in the sig instead of typing them out all the time......


Anyways, the parts we are looking to mark are aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel and delrin. We currently mark with a grease pencil, or roto-tool, but it only looks as good as the handwriting of the machinist that day. We are currently just looking for other options.

Thanks
Heckdogg

 

[MikeHalloran]

Any CNC tool can drag a scribe over a part well enough to mark it. You could even be fancy, chuck an engraving tool in it, and run the spindle. The only 'investment' is generating a few lines of G-code to define the path... and even the primitive CAM programs built into most CNC tools can generate that from a DXF file.

I wouldn't scratch or pin-punch a Delrin part, though; too easy to fracture it, or to lock in stresses that will later fracture it in service.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[mcgyvr]

http://www.wilsontool.com/punching/punch_special.html

Look at their ID stamp or Multi-scribe tooling

 

[mcgyvr]

Here is another cool tool

http://www.mate.com/enumerator/

Does sequential numbering/date codes,etc.. right in the fabricator

 

[wallyd999]

Dot peen is quite clear and also will do the 2d, laser scan, and it looks the same from operator to operator. Check out the Telesis site or any dot peen marking. I like the telesis due to the rotary table.